Colorado’s best mountain towns for live music fans

Colorado s mountain towns are destinations for hiking biking hot springs and more but choose the right one and you ll also tap into music scenes that are destinations in their own right Here are five places worth adding to any music fan s bucket list Don t forget to pack your dancing shoes Aspen Aspen is a small town with big city power when it comes to live music thanks to its mix of venues festivals and sporting events that draw bands from around the country Belly Up Aspen is the premiere club to catch a concert whether you re a fan of EDM country music blues indie rock or reggae The historic Wheeler Opera House caters to fans of classical music and opera And the festival season runs year-round with winter attractions like Palm Tree Music Festival and summer events like Up in the Sky Festival In June the Jazz Aspen Snowmass festival takes over the town with a plethora of events at indoor and outdoor venues before its sister festival JAS Labor Day Experience pops up with a more traditional main stage festival experience in the fall All that plus free shows during ski season and summer make Aspen a must-visit for music lovers Buena Vista Ozomatli plays The Lawn in Buena Vista Colorado Photo by Jason Myers provided by Rob Scott Whether you re a casual music fan or a hardcore festivarian Buena Vista has the tunes to sonically satisfy The town s the bulk high-profile venue is Meadow Creek a sprawling -acre plot of land used as a festival grounds complete with the full destination camping experience Previously the site of Billy Strings Renewal festival in Meadow Creek hosts Pretty Lights for the two-day Yahn Dawn festival June - and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard for a three-day event called Field of Vision Aug - Downtown Buena Vista boasts several indoor venues such as the Ivy Ballroom at the Surf Hotel and The Lariat that host local and nationally touring bands across a variety of genres When the weather is nice fans can take in a concert at outdoor spaces like The Lawn also at the Surf Hotel and The Beach located miles south of town on the banks of the Arkansas River Dillon Attendees settle in for a show at the Dillon Amphitheater during the summer of Photo provided by Jenise Jensen Town of Dillon First opened in the s the Dillon Amphitheater got a major upgrade in and has become the hallmark of the town s summer music scene It regularly attracts artists you might otherwise see on the lineup at Red Rocks Amphitheatre including Alison Krauss Union Station Tash Sultana and Rainbow Kitten Surprise in the season But with a roughly -person threshold less than half that of Red Rocks seeing those acts in Dillon promises to be a more intimate experience And because it s located on the shore of Lake Dillion which is surrounded by peaks the view isn t bad either Shows usually require a ticket but not constantly as bands play for free as part of the venue s Monday music series Telluride Telluride Bluegrass festivarians race to get a close spot to the stage during the annual running of the tarps on the first day of the th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride Colorado on June Photo by William Woody Special to The Denver Post Though it s one of Colorado s far-out enclaves Telluride is a stop on nationally touring bands calendars because of the myriad festivals it hosts each summer The box canyon comes alive with the sound of music for events like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in June which has become a time-honored tradition for locals and artists alike over its -plus year history and Telluride Jazz Festival in August which includes a second line parade down Colorado Avenue every year Free concerts on Wednesdays and Fridays in Mountain Village which is just a short gondola ride away keep the vibes rolling through the summer before the season concludes with the incomparable Telluride Blues Brews Festival in September Even in the winter though fans are likely to catch an act they like at the historic Sheridan Opera House or local bars like The Alibi and O Bannon s Irish Pub The ski resort also books local DJs to play at restaurants on the mountain because dancing is the best way to stay warm trust us Vail The Gerald R Ford Amphitheater home to the Bravo Vail Music Festival Provided by Bravo Vail Music Festival Similarly to Dillon the town of Vail boasts a state-of-the-art amphitheater that bands forgo radius clauses to perform at The Gerald R Ford Amphitheater opened in and in July of that year Willie Nelson was the first artist to christen the stage The outdoor venue has grown from hosting six concerts in its first year to dozens including acclaimed acts like O A R and Melissa Etheridge both of whom will be stopping by this summer after performances at Red Rocks The amphitheater is also known for hosting dance performances and classical music like the annual Bravo Vail Music Festival Elsewhere in Vail Shakedown Bar is a mainstay for live music with performers almost every night of the week and Chasing Rabbits is the place to dance the night away to the tune of DJs All the aforementioned venues book their calendars in the winter months too from apr s hour to late night Subscribe to our weekly newsletter In The Know to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox